This elegant Gothic building was built with alternating red brick and white sandstone layers ('bacon layers') between 1501 and 1503 by architect De Waghemakere for the guild of the butchers. After the French Revolution, the guilds were abolished and the Meat Hall lost its original function. It was later used as a theater and as a storage building for wine.

At the end of the 19th century the City of Antwerp bought the building and used it to house the Museum of Archeology and Applied Arts.